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Date Cake

February 25, 2017 by Claire Leave a Comment

My good friend ,with the same name as me, brought to my house a little bit of leftover cake
for a cuppa. It was the best cake I had tasted in years and I anxiously asked for the recipe.
She obliged. You will not be sorry you made this. It is delectable.

1 cup dates 1 & 1/2 cups SR flour
1 cup water 1 egg
1 cup sugar 1 tsp baking powder
250g butter 1 tsp bicarb soda
1 tsp vanilla essence

Topping
1 cup brown sugar
1 cup shredded coconut
60g butter
1 tbsp milk

Into a medium saucepan add dates, water, sugar, butter and vanilla.
Stir over a medium heat until all melted and sugar dissolved.
Add all dry ingredients and the beaten egg. Pour into greased and lined
22 cm tin and bake on 180 degrees for 30 -40 minutes.

While the cake is baking you can make the topping. Into a saucepan
melt together all the topping ingredients and boil for 3 minutes.
When the cake is nearly cooked, pour the topping on to the cake and
pop back in the oven for 10 minutes until the topping is caramelised
on top. Cool for 10 minutes before turning out.

JoJo’s Chicken

October 17, 2016 by Claire Leave a Comment

My friend Jo is one of the busiest people I know but the door is always open
and anyone is welcome for a great home cooked meal. This is one of my favourites
so its now a regular in my house.

8 chicken thighs
2 garlic cloves crushed
200g breadcrumbs
150g parmesan cheese, finely grated
2 eggs
60g plain flour

Prepare a bowl of plain flour, another of 2 eggs lightly whisked and a plate of
breadcrumbs, crushed garlic and parmesan cheese combined.
Place the thigh in the flour first, then the egg and finally the breadcrumb mixture.
When all thighs are prepared place in an ovenproof dish, drizzle over
some olive oil and cover with foil. Bake for 45 minutes.
Remove the foil and bake for another 15 minutes until the crust goes all crispy.

Mexican Wedding Cakes

September 13, 2016 by Claire Leave a Comment

I do like to host an end of year party and I love to theme it.
On one particular occasion I chose Mexican.
I found I had plenty of ideas for savoury but I struggled
with a sweet delight that would go down well at a cocktail party.
These beautiful biscuits I now make all the time.

1 cup pecans, toasted, cooled
2 cups plain flour
1 tsp ground cinnamon
250g unsalted butter, softened
2 cups icing sugar, sifted
1 tsp vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 180 degrees.
Place cooled pecans, flour, cinnamon and a pinch of salt in a food processor or
blender and pulse until nuts are finely chopped.
Whisk butter and 1 cup of icing sugar with electric beaters until pale. Add the vanilla
extract and pecan mixture and beat until soft dough forms. Roll out into little balls
and place on a lined baking tray. Bake for 25 minutes or until slightly golden. Cool slightly.
Place the remaining cup of icing sugar in a separate bowl. Once the cakes are cool enough to
handle place them in the bowl with icing sugar and toss to thoroughly coat. Cool on a wire
rack for 10 minutes then toss again in icing sugar.

Pork Meatloaf

May 10, 2016 by Claire Leave a Comment

This a favourite for all my family which results in absolutely no left overs.
So from now on I make two because a slice of meat loaf the next day is one of life’s little treasures.
3 carrots
olive oil
100g breadcrumbs
500g minced pork
2 tsp dried oregano
30g feta cheese
1 egg
3 fresh red chillies (optional)
1 onion
2 cloves garlic
1 700ml jar of passata
50g cheddar cheese

Heat the oven to 200c. Peel carrots and quarter lengthways and place them in a roasting pan with some olive oil for 10 minutes. In a bowl, mix together the pork, half the oregano, breadcrumbs, feta, egg and salt and pepper. Shape into a loaf. Take the pan with the carrots out of the oven and place the meatloaf in the middle of the tray. Cook for a further 25 minutes.

Meanwhile, halve the chillies and put them in a pan on a low heat with some olive oil for 2 minutes. Add finely chopped onion and garlic with the remaining oregano to the pan. Scoop out the chillies and reserve for later. Once the onion has softened, pour in the passata and a splash of water. Simmer until the time is up on the meatloaf. Season to taste.

Remove the tray from the oven and pour the sauce around the meatloaf. Grate some cheddar cheese on top and back in the oven for around 10 minutes. Mash the chillies and add back to the sauce before serving.

Meatloaf can be accompanied by some cooked pasta or some steamed vegetables.
Please note you can omit the chilli step if it’s not your thing…

Upside Down Toffee Pear Cake

May 10, 2016 by Claire Leave a Comment

It’s the cake I get asked to make again and again. Looks beautiful
and tastes gorgeous. Enjoy!

125g butter 2/3 cup brown sugar
2 eggs 1/2 cup lite sour cream
1 1/4 cups SR Flour 1/2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp ground ginger 1/2 tsp cinnamon
3 or 4 pears

Toffee Topping
2/3 cup white sugar 1/4 cup water 1/4 boiling water

Make topping first. Combine sugar and 1/4 cup of water on a saucepan. Stir until sugar dissolves.Bring to the boil without stirring until it turns golden brown.
Remove from heat and carefully add the boiling water. It tends to spit. Stir until smooth and pour into a greased 22 cm cake tin.
Peel and core the pears and cut in half, lay them flat side down into the toffee in the cake tin.
Beat butter and sugar together using an electric mixer until pale and creamy. Add eggs and beat until combined. Mix in the sour cream. Sift together the flour, baking powder, ginger, cinnamon and fold into the wet mixture. Spoon the cake mixture over the pears and spread evenly.
Bake for 55 minutes in a 180 degree oven.

Fennel Soup

March 18, 2016 by Claire Leave a Comment

Sometimes I play a little game where I take an old food magazine from my collection and I absolutely
have to find a recipe to use that day. It is on one of those occasions I came across a very simple soup.
I cannot believe the flavour that comes out of such few ingredients. So here it is.

2 tbsp olive oil
1 onion,diced
2 cloves garlic,crushed
1 small potato ,diced
1 stick celery ,diced
1 fennel bulb,finely diced
4 cups chicken or vegetable stock
chunk of parmesan, rind reserved
420g tin chickpeas or cannelini beans
Sea Salt

Heat the olive oil in a heavy based pan and fry the onion until soft, add the garlic halfway through. Then add one at a time, potato, carrot, celery ,fennel and the stock. Pop in the parmesan rind and simmer for 5-6 minutes. Add the chickpeas and cook for a further 5 minutes.

Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve with a good shaving of parmesan.

Hoisin Pork Rissoles

February 16, 2016 by Claire Leave a Comment

Not your average rissole, these little guys pack a massive amount of flavour, delicious with the coleslaw and they also can be accompanied by some rice.
Don’t be turned off by the list of ingredients – have all these spices in your pantry and you can whip these up anytime. Yum!

600g pork mince
1/2 tsp five spice powder
2 tbsp hoisin sauce
1 tbsp soy sauce
2 cloves garlic, crushed
2cm piece of fresh ginger, grated

Asian Coleslaw
2 tbsp white vinegar
2 tbsp peanut oil
1/2 tsp sesame oil
1 tbsp soy sauce
1 tsp brown sugar
225g packet fresh coleslaw (without dressing), or you can make your own
1/2 small red onion, sliced thinly
1/2 cup fresh mint leaves,optional

Combine all the rissole ingredients. Divide the mixture into eight and shape into balls.
Cook in an oiled frypan until brown on both sides and cooked through.
Asian Coleslaw: Combine the vinegars, oils, soy sauce, and sugar in a bowl.
Add the remaining ingredients and toss well to combine.

Salmon with Green Beans and Cherry Tomatoes

February 16, 2016 by Claire Leave a Comment

On my honeymoon in the year 2000 I visited friends in London for 2 days. They made me the most beautiful dinner so I asked for the recipe. They said its a recipe from the “naked chef”, I had never heard of him. So here is my most favourite dinner for the past 15 years and we now all know Jamie Oliver formally know as ……..the naked chef.

2 salmon cutlets
1 handful of green beans, blanched for 2 minutes
1 punnet of cherry tomatoes
1 handful kalamata olives
6 anchovies
a few basil leaves

Preheat oven to 220 degrees.
Lay the salmon cutlets on one side of a large baking tray. Season with salt and pepper, drizzle with oil.
To a bowl add blanched beans, olives and cherry tomatoes and a tablespoon of olive oil and toss together.
Pour the tomato mixture into the other side of the baking tray and lay the 6 anchovies over it.
Sprinkle the beans and tomatoes with basil leaves.
Roast in the oven for 10 minutes or until salmon is cooked to your liking.
Serves 2.

Chicken Soba Noodle Salad

February 9, 2016 by Claire Leave a Comment

My hairdresser is passionate about food and finding good recipes and she told me of a great cookbook that I must go out and buy. So I did. This is the first meal I made out of Karen Martini’s Everyday Food book. I had never heard of Ponzu before but now I make sure I always have
a bottle in the pantry for this beautiful salad recipe.Thanks Karen!

270g soba noodles
150ml Ponzu *
100ml extra virgin olive oil
2 tsp sesame oil
2 tbsp toasted sesame seeds
2 bunches broccolini
5cm knob of ginger grated or finely diced
10 button mushrooms, sliced
1/2 roast or BBQ chicken, shredded or torn
5 spring onions
2 handfuls of coriander leaves
1 tspn sea salt

Cook the noodles in boiling water for 3 minutes. Drain and refresh under cold water. Coat lightly with 1 teaspoon of sesame oil. Cook broccolini in salted boiling water for 3 minutes. Drain. Combine the sesame seeds, remaining sesame oil ,olive oil and ginger in a large bowl.
Add mushrooms and allow to marinate for 5 minutes. Add everything else, season with
salt. Toss to combine.

Cinnamon Tea Cake

November 25, 2015 by Claire Leave a Comment

You know those days when someone knocks on the door and is on for a cuppa and you’ve just eaten the last TimTam? (Guilty.) Well, with simple store cupboard ingredients you can whip up this gorgeously light, fluffy tea cake in a speedy half-hour. Great on its own or with a dollop of cream. Try it, it’ll become your go-to for unexpected drop-ins.

60g butter
2/3 cup caster sugar
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 cup of SR flour, sifted
1/3 cup of milk
10g butter, melted
cinnamon sugar to sprinkle

Using a hand mixer on a fast setting, cream butter, sugar, egg and vanilla until pale in colour. This will take a few minutes. Fold in sifted flour and milk. Add to prepared 20cm greased and lined tin and bake at 180-degrees for 30 minutes.Leave for 5 minutes to cool before turning out onto wire rack or plate. Brush the cake with some melted butter and sprinkle with cinnamon sugar.